Abstract: A thermal transfer overcoating technology for reducing overcoat tags. Skewing the interface between a carrier ribbon to coated document at the peeling of the carrier from the coated document concentrates the forces at the interface to a smaller region of the document edge. Moreover, tensioning the document at the interface changes the forces at the interface from peeling type to tensile type.

Abstract: The present invention is drawn to the thermal transfer overcoating of images printed on porous media, and methods of overcoating images printed on porous media. Upon use of the systems and methods of the present invention, a thermally coated print is generated that can comprise a porous media substrate having printed thereon a digitally produced image. The digitally produced image and the porous media substrate is thermally coated by an adhesive protective layer, wherein the adhesive protective layer has a tangent d that is greater than 1 and melt viscosity less than 1×105 Pa.·sec. as applied above its phase transition temperature. Thus, the voids in the porous media substrate can be substantially filled, and further, substantially no tags remain on the print.

Abstract: A thermal transfer overcoating technology for reducing overcoat tags. Skewing the interface between a carrier ribbon to coated document at the peeling of the carrier from the coated document concentrates the forces at the interface to a smaller region of the document edge. Moreover, tensioning the document at the interface changes the forces at the interface from peeling type to tensile type.

Abstract: The present invention is drawn to the thermal transfer overcoating of images printed on porous media, and methods of overcoating images printed on porous media. Upon use of the systems and methods of the present invention, a thermally coated print is generated that can comprise a porous media substrate having printed thereon a digitally produced image. The digitally produced image and the porous media substrate is thermally coated by an adhesive protective layer, wherein the adhesive protective layer has a tangent d that is greater than 1 and melt viscosity less than 1×105 Pa.·sec. as applied above its phase transition temperature. Thus, the voids in the porous media substrate can be substantially filled, and further, substantially no tags remain on the print.

Abstract: A printer status monitor comprises a status message monitor configured for audibly reporting voice messages regarding a status of a printer and at least one sensor configured for identifying the status of the at least one function of a printer. A method for reporting a printer status comprises sensing at least one feature of a printer and audibly reporting a status of the at least one feature of the printer with a voice message.

Abstract: A laser printer produces an image of raster scan lines exhibiting a pitch distance p. The printer includes a photoreceptor and n laser sources, where n.gtoreq.2. First and second sets of laser sources, in one embodiment, produce plural optical beams which, when imaged on the photoreceptor, are separated by pitch distance p in the direction of movement of the photoreceptor. The first set and second sets of laser sources are separated by a distance S.sub.PR =c(1+qr)p, where: c=number of laser sources in each set, q=an integer, and r=number of rows of laser sources in both the first and second sets. The optical beams are modulated with pixel value data in accordance with a correspondence of image scan lines and positions of the optical beams on the photoreceptor. The photoreceptor is moved by a distance (q.multidot.c.multidot.r)p between scans. In such manner, an interleaving of the scan lines is achieved, which allows substantial separation of laser diodes on a laser diode chip.

Abstract: An image forming device includes output rollers disposed for ejecting media out of the image forming device, and a single solenoid activated bi-directional output drive mechanism connected to the output rollers for bi-directionally driving the output rollers and for enabling a return path back through the output rollers for duplexing of the media. In an alternate embodiment, the image forming device includes substantially all components necessary for duplexing, integrated with the base engine of the image forming device, but excludes the solenoid activated bi-directional output drive mechanism, for providing a non-duplexing system that is optionally and easily upgradeable to a duplexing system.

Abstract: A hybrid type thermal ink jet (TIJ) pen and method of manufacture wherein a plurality of individual thin film ink jet printheads, each including an orifice plate, are selectively spaced on and secured to an insulating substrate having ink feed ports therein which supply ink to the printheads. Buss lines and integrated circuit driver-decoder packages may be mounted in a planar fashion with respect to the printheads and electrically interconnected to drive the printheads.Alternatively, the individual printheads may be mounted on a unitary insulating support and ink feed structure such as a ceramic substrate and interconnected to off-substrate TIJ driver circuitry by way of printed or silk-screened electrical leads. These leads may be laid down in a controlled pattern on the surface of the ceramic substrate and used to interconnect bonding pads on the TIJ printheads with the above off-substrate driver circuitry and power supplies.

Abstract: This application discloses a new and improved thermal ink jet printhead and method of manufacture wherein a tape automated bond (TAB) flexible circuit is sequentially thermosonically bonded in a one-by-one wire bonding process to aligned conductive traces on a thin film resistor substrate. These traces provide electrical current paths for a corresponding plurality of heater resistors on the substrate, and these resistors function to heat a corresponding plurality of ink reservoirs in a thermal ink jet printhead.

Abstract: A multichamber ink jet pen has a printhead comprising a plurality of nozzle groups corresponding in number to the number of chambers. The nozzle groups are respectively in communication with the individual chambers for receiving ink. The multi-color ink jet pen is retrofittable in a single color printer to provide multicolor printing capability. The nozzles in the nozzle groups are formatted to correspond to the nozzle format in the printhead of the single color ink jet pen, including the same nozzle spacing, to take advantage of the single color printer control for that nozzle format. The nozzle groups each duplicate a different longitudinal segment of the single color nozzle column pattern.

Abstract: This application is directed to an ink jet pen having an ink supply housing which includes a primary ink reservoir (30) and a secondary ink reservoir (26). A balancing capillary member is positioned within the ink supply housing and includes ink flow path (20, 24) which extends between the primary ink reservoir (30) and the secondary ink reservoir (26). This capillary member is operative to draw ink from the primary ink reservoir (30) and into or toward the secondary ink reservoir (26) by capillary action as temperature and pressure within the primary ink reservoir increases. Conversely, when temperature and pressure in the housing decreases, ink will be drawn back into or toward the primary ink reservoir (30). In addition, the primary ink reservoir (30) is connected by way of a suitable ink feed path to an ink jet printhead (32) for supplying ink to the printhead during an ink jet printing operation.

Abstract: A nozzle plate suitable for use in an ink jet printer and method of manufacturing this plate, which includes forming a plurality of grooves or serrations in the interior orifice bore surfaces of the plate. These grooves or serrations may advantageously be electroformed replications of a sculptured photoresist mask used in the electroforming process, and they serve to maximize the interior surface area of the orifice bores. This feature in turn serves to maximize frequency response, wettability, fluid flow rate, damping factor and capillarity of the nozzle plate relative to these parameters of a smooth surface orifice bore.

Abstract: This application discloses a new and improved thermal ink jet printhead and method of manufacture wherein a tape automated bond (TAB) flexible circuit is sequentially thermosonically bonded in a one-by-one wire bonding process to aligned conductive traces on a thin film resistor substrate. These traces provide electrical current paths for a corresponding plurality of heater resistors on the substrate, and these resistors function to heat a corresponding plurality of ink reservoirs in a thermal ink jet printhead.